Nomaan Raja is a market-leading lawyer in the UAE and beyond, with a diverse practice helping clients execute corporate transactions throughout the Middle East and Africa. Prior to joining Latham, Nomaan practiced with a leading law firm in New York. 

Nomaan advises local and international corporates, governments and government-related entities, and financial institutions on the full suite of corporate transactions, with industry expertise in oil and gas, telecommunications, energy, and infrastructure. Drawing on his unique expertise, his broad international experience, and sophisticated multi-industry knowledge, he regularly advises clients on: 

  • Conventional and Islamic debt capital markets
  • IPOs and equity offerings 
  • High-yield bonds
  • Debt restructurings 
  • Inbound and outbound investments and corporate finance matters  

Having been involved in many of the most high-profile and leading debt and equity transactions from the region, including Saudi Aramco’s landmark IPO — the largest in history — Nomaan leverages his institutional knowledge of the market to carefully navigate clients through their most complex transactions.

Nomaan’s recent experience includes representing:

Equity Capital Markets Select Deals

  • The bookrunners on the US$11.2 billion secondary public offering of shares of Saudi Aramco
  • The underwriters in Investcorp Capital's US$451 million initial public offering 
  • The underwriters in TECOM Group’s AED1.7 billion initial public offering 
  • The bookrunners in the SAR3.2 billion secondary public offering of shares in Saudi Telecom Company by the Public Investment Fund
  • The underwriters in Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco)’s US$29.4 billion initial public offering (the world’s largest ever initial public offering) 
  • Arabian Internet and Communications Services Company (solutions by stc) in its SAR3.6 billion initial public offering 
  • The Government of Pakistan in relation to the US$1 billion offering and sale of its shareholding in Habib Bank Limited, Pakistan’s largest bank, through a global offering of shares
  • Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank on its US$137 million rights issuance (the first tradeable rights issuance by a bank in the UAE)

Debt Capital Markets Select Deals 

  • The dealers in connection with the updates of Saudi Aramco's GMTN and sukuk programs and the managers in connection with the issuance of (1) US$6 billion notes under the GMTN program and (2) US$3 billion certificates under the Sukuk program (2024)
  • The joint bookrunners in relation to the debut offering of US$350 million senior secured guaranteed green notes due 2028 by FIVE Holdings (BVI) Limited (FIVE) 
  • The dealers in the establishment of a euro medium term note program by the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA)
  • Axian Telecom in its offering of US$420 million senior notes due 2027
  • The dealers in the establishment and subsequent update of a global medium term note program by the Federal Government of the United Arab Emirates, acting through the Ministry of Finance, and issuances of US$4 billion notes, US$3 billion notes, and US$1.5 billion notes thereunder
  • Etisalat Group in the:
    • Establishment of a US$3 billion trust certificate issuance program and issuances thereunder
    • Establishment of a US$10 billion medium term note programme and issuances thereunder
  • Emirates REIT in its consent solicitation and exchange of existing trust certificates due 2022 for new secured trust certificates due 2024 
  • The dealers in the establishment of a euro medium term note programme by Abu Dhabi Ports Company and issuance of US$1 billion notes thereunder
  • Bapco Energies (formerly nogaholding) in the:
    • Establishment and subsequent update of a US$3 billion trust certificate issuance program and issuances thereunder 
    • Establishment of a US$3 billion 144A/Reg S Global Medium Term Note Programme and issuances thereunder 
  • The dealers in relation to Saudi Aramco’s:
    • Establishment of a trust certificate issuance program and issuance of US$6 billion certificates thereunder (the largest ever corporate Sukuk issuance)
    • Establishment and subsequent update of a global medium term note program and issuances thereunder
  • The initial purchasers in Liquid Telecom’s US$620 million senior secured notes offering
  • The underwriters in relation to Saudi Basic Industries Corporation’s (SABIC): 
    • US$2 billion notes offering and US$1 billion notes offering
    • US$2 billion sukuk offering and US$1.5 billion “green” sukuk offering
  • Dana Gas in its:
    • Tender offer and consent solicitation and issuance of new US$530 million sukuk and subsequent refinancing
    • Restructuring of its US$1 billion exchangeable Trust Certificates (sukuk al-mudarabah) due 2012 by way of a consent solicitation and issuance of two tranches of new Sukuk 
  • The Government of Dubai in:
    • Various updates of its US$5 billion euro medium term note program
    • The establishment of a trust certificate issuance program and issuances thereunder
  • The government of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with respect to:
    • The establishment of its GMTN Programme 
    • US$17.5 billion debut sovereign bond issuance and subsequent issuance thereunder
  • Dar Al-Arkan in various updates of its US$2.5 billion trust certificate issuance program and issuances thereunder
  • The joint lead managers of the issuance of $825 million senior secured bonds for the refinancing of the Shuweihat 2 independent power and water project in the UAE. Awarded “Middle East & Africa Bond Deal of the Year” by Project Finance International 2013
  • Lead Managers to Saudi Electricity Global Sukuk Company, on its sukuk issuance of US$1.5 billion 4.00% Certificates due 2024; US$1 billion 5.50% Certificates due 2044 
  • The joint lead managers of the issuance by IHS Nigeria of US$800 million 9.5% Senior Notes due 2021 and a concurrent tender offer and consent solicitation
  • Liquid Telecommunications 8.5% Senior Secured Notes due 2022

Bar Qualification

  • New York

Education

  • LL.M., New York University, 2005
  • LLB, London School of Economics and Political Science, 1996

Languages Spoken

  • English